Robin Williams Research Paper

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Robin Williams is a man of humor. With his improv comedy and passionate acting, he created memorable characters for many people during his career. His career endured lows, such as struggling with his addictions, and highs, receiving many awards. The peak of his career was during a time when Williams struggled greatly with his addiction, which brought along challenges relating to his mental health. His cocaine and alcohol addictions, Lewy Body Dementia, and depression impacted him and his career, but he helped and inspired people, received many awards, and donated to various charities by the end of his career and ultimately his life. Robin Williams grew up in a wealthy family, but he had trouble interacting with other kids, and the social aspect …show more content…

His dream was to entertain and help people feel less depressed (Logan). His career choice was actually influenced by this dream. In 1979, during his junior year, Williams decided not to attend Juilliard due to the remark made by his teacher, John Houseman, that there was not much left to teach him. So he started doing comedy shows in Los Angeles, he performed at The Comedy Store, which was where George Schlatter saw him and wanted him to be on the TV show Laugh In. Even though the show failed, that’s where he started his TV career. He accomplished his dream through doing his improv comedy routines and acting gigs, and it all started because he decided not to go to Julliard. He publicly struggled with his mental health for years. In a clip of Robin Williams on The Dick Cavett Show, he says, “People want you to be a certain way and sometimes you can’t help but be depressed, you know just the nature of being” (The Dick Cavett Show). Many times in interviews he talked about his addictions and how they affected him and his mental health. In this specific interview on The Dick Cavett Show, he talks about how he loves to improvise, it’s like a high for him, he just loves it. He needed to make people laugh, to make them happy, because it made him happy and he knew what it felt like to not be content with his life. Over time though, that need turned into him being funny only to other people. He referred to himself as ‘funny’ Robin, which seemed like he made a character for himself, to entertain people. From 1982 to 1983, Williams tried to change his life, “Williams used to be a big-drinking cocaine addict, but quit both before the birth of his eldest son in 1983, and stayed sober for 20 years. On location in Alaska in 2003, however, he started drinking again” (Strategies). His trip to Alaska caused him to relapse with alcohol, this

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